The Stars Aligned

Chapter 47

He was going into complete organ failure. One by one, every piece of his body will break down. I started crying, shaking uncontrollably. Draco knelt beside me, keeping his hands on my shoulders.

Luna came back with Madame Pompfrey, and she hurriedly cast a diagnostic spell, her brow furrowing.

I watched him lock eyes with Luna, then Blaise, then Draco, giving them each a moment of his dwindling time to look at each other one more time. Then Theo's molton brown eyes glued to mine, full of both pain and acceptance. He knows. He heard the hex, he understood the meaning. I shook my head slightly, tears streaming down my cheeks.

He's one of my best friends. We understand each other effortlessly. He knows me better than almost anyone, and we can communicate without saying a word.

He was grunting in misery, but his lips curved gently, a small version of his bright grin I love so much. Adieu, princess, he was saying.

I smiled back, my tears tumbling relentlessly. Auf wiedersehen, Theo, I responded silently.

Pansy took a shaky breath when she saw the healer. She stroked his hair out of his face, her fingers trembling. "Hey, Theo. Hey." She swallowed to try to control her wavering voice. "You're gonna be okay. She's gonna fix you, okay?"

Theo's eyes flicked to her. "I got him. Told you I would."

"You're gonna be fine," She assured, nodding furiously. "She's gonna make you all better—"

"Pans." He said quietly, bringing his hand up to close around hers. "Please."

Hurt flashed through her hazel irises. "Theo, no."

He nodded. "It's okay."

"No." She insisted, her breathing ragged. "This isn't how it ends. This isn't all we get." She pressed his open palm to her cheek, trying to control her breathing. "We get more. We deserve more."

Theo winced in agony, clenching his teeth. But when he looked at Pansy, there was nothing but an intense passion in his face. He brushed his thumb over her high cheekbone."I will find you in the next life, okay? I promise. I promise I will."

Pansy's tears broke free, spilling out the sides of her eyes. "No, Theo. Please." Her voice broke, and she gripped his shoulders firmly, knuckles white. "Don't give up. I can't. I can't lose you. I won't be able to bear it."

"I'm sorry," Madame Pompfrey said gently, confirming what I already knew. "He's not gonna make it."

Pansy wheezed, her body shaking frantically. "Isn't there a counterspell or something! Anything, anything—"

Theo slipped his hand from her cheek to the back of her neck, tugging her down and pressing her lips onto his. She whimpered against him, sliding her hands into his dark curls. He pulled away, gasping softly, putting their foreheads together. "I love you, Pans. So much," Theo breathed, his thumb running across her lower lip, over the red lipstick he likes so much. "I've been in love with you since the day we met."

A sob escaped Pansy's lips, her mouth quivering as it curved into a half-smile. "I win."

And there it was, Theo's signature grin, but brighter than I had ever seen it, with molton brown eyes full of so much joy I thought he might burst.

But it subsided, eyes dimming and grin slackening, as if someone pulled the plug in the sink and the water swirled down the drain. His head lolled back and his hand fell from Pansy's neck, landing with a thud on his chest. And I knew he was gone.

"Theo?" Pansy patted his cheek gently. "Theo?" I watched as the realization settled, hazel eyes sputtering, a flame going out. "Shit! Baby." She gripped his face in her hands, her eyes darting across the stillness of his features. "Baby, you didn't hear me say it back." Tears were falling freely now, splashing on his face. "Theo, I love you, do you hear me?" Her voice was raw and agonizing. "I love you. I love you."

She kept repeating it, over and over and over, begging him to hear her words. I reached forward, closing his eyelids, putting him to rest. Rest, Theo, I told him silently, wherever he was. Rest now.

Pansy flinched, staring at me with more heartbreak and grief than a single person should be able to handle. "I can't see his eyes," She whispered, bowing her head over his chest. "I can't see his eyes."

I buried the side of my face in Draco's neck, and he instantly embraced me. His heart was beating erratically, his breaths shallow and labored.

"...You... You promised, okay?" Pansy ran her fingertips along the outline of his jaw, crying so hard her words were barely comprehensible. "You promised that you will find me. Find me, Theo." She jabbed a finger into his chest. "Don't you dare break it."

Blaise came forward, leaning down, his face grim and pale. He stroked her hair. "Pansy," he said in the gentlest voice. "Maybe we should get some air, help us breathe a little?"

"No." Pansy shook her head, black hair flying across her face. "You go."

I looked up at Draco, and he nodded, helping me to my feet and putting a hand on the small of my back to steady me. Blaise and Luna made eye contact with us, and we started walking out towards the door. We needed to mourn, needed to breathe in the cool morning air, and we also needed to give Pansy time alone with the corpse of who was no doubt the love of her life.

As we left, I glanced back. Pansy had laid down and lined her body with his, settling her head on his chest and placing a hand on his firm stomach, no longer rising and falling with breath. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She looked as if she would stay there forever. She would never let him go.